Hugs & Hisses

HUG: Leon Panetta, the immediate past U.S. secretary of defense, used strong words to criticize the U.S. military for its failure to appropriately prosecute criminals in its midsts, suggesting during the funeral for two Santa Cruz police officers that the military was partly to blame for the deaths. The gunman had been accused of rape while he was in the Army, but was allowed to walk away with only a less-than-honorable discharge. Are you listening, Pentagon?

HUG: It was a simple but sweet gesture. During the services for the Santa Cruz officers, dogs groomed at Picture Perfect in Marina were sent away with nicely decorated black ribbons.

HUG: The state Public Utilities Commission has leaned so heavily in favor of the utilities rather than the customers over the years that it had to set up a subordinate agency, the Division of Ratepayer Advocates, to represent the interests of the ratepayers. Here's hoping the commission listens to the advocates, who have concluded that the price tag on Cal Am's proposed desalination plant is padded by tens of millions of dollars.

HISS: Dennis Rodman.

HUG: At least three women, one believed to have been an off-duty paramedic, worked feverishly to try to save the life of Karyn Stevens on Thursday after she was involved in a gruesome accident near Ryan Ranch. She succumbed to her injuries, but her would-be rescuers deserve a community hug.

HUG: It was a treat to watch the scrappy boys of the Alisal High School soccer team beat big-money Bellarmine Prep for the sectional championship.

HUG: As much as we love underdogs, we're fine with the Monterey City Council's decision to rent the old train depot to Tanimura & Antle for use as a produce marketplace, a miniature Ferry Building. Putting the soon-to-be evicted Trailside Cafe there would have been fine, too, but we have an ample supply of restaurants and an obvious shortage of beachfront produce marketplaces.

HISS: We understand that landlords can't operate in the black, but rent increases of $515 per month at CSU Monterey Bay student housing just don't add up, especially since officials there won't even explain the need or rationale.